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Making healthy choices while you travel can be hard – temptation is everywhere. Yet if you’re prepared, you can stay on track.

Healthy travel guide

There’s nothing quite like a summer holiday – most of us look forward to it all year. And whether you’re about to set off on a road trip, an exotic international vacation or something in between, a little planning can go a long way. Making healthy choices while you travel is hard – temptation is everywhere. Yet if you’re prepared, with a plan in place, you can stay on track and return revitalised having lost or maintained your weight.

Healthy traveling at a resort

It can be very tempting to overindulge at a bountiful buffet or let one too many margaritas slip in when you’re in holiday mode. After all, part of enjoying travel is about experiencing the local cuisine and enjoying a few indulgences. A little smart planning can keep you on track and make room for a few luxuries, too.

Plan ahead

Look up the hotel, resort and restaurant menus online before you travel. You may even like to anticipate and track ahead on certain days, so you can stick to your short and long-term plans and goals. Use your weekly SmartPoints® Budget wisely, such as saving up for a gourmet meal.

Drinking

Before travelling, check out the SmartPoints of your favourite alcoholic drink. Stretch out your sipping by opting for a spritzer that only has a 2 SmartPoints per 100ml glass of sauvignon blanc with 50% soda water.

Meals

Study the local delicacies and food culture in your travel guide and seek out traditional, healthier fare. Italy is famous for creamy pasta, pizza and tiramisu but also for rustic minestrone, salad caprese and Mediterranean seafood.

Packing

Pack a plastic bowl and spoon so you can self-cater in your hotel room with a bar fridge for skim milk, cereal box in your luggage and fruit platter from room service.

Substitutions

Adjust your regular menu plan to make way for extras. Perhaps you can skip your morning snack if you’ve had a cooked breaky, or you can enjoy in a small dessert if you’ve gone for a light lunch.

Opt for small light meals adjusted to your destination time, if possible. If it’s 2am in Paris or Phuket you can afford to say “No thanks” when the trolley comes by. Be sure to eat adequate dietary fibre – lots of fruit and vegetables. Pack your own fresh fruit or pre-chopped vegetable crudités. Just make sure you consume it before your arrival due to border security and quarantine rules.

Fluids

Drink water regularly while you travel. Avoid too much alcohol as they can contribute to the dehydrating effects of high altitude. Steer clear of carbonated drinks, too, as they increase bloating. It’s a good idea to pack an empty bottle that you can fill with water once through customs.

Snacking

Avoid snacks that are high in salt, such as chips and peanuts, as they increase fluid retention.

Clothing

Wear loose comfortable clothing and move about the cabin as much as possible, wriggling your feet and ankles regularly when you sit to help reduce your risk of deep vein thrombosis (DVT).

Healthy traveling on the road

When you’re travelling by road, you can get stuck with limited choices when it comes to food: the service station or a fast food option at best. Rather than succumb to these nutritionally void options. Be prepared and pack ahead for success:

Chilling

Grab a thermal bag or esky and toss in an ice pack or two to keep food fresh. A soft bag is easier if you want to keep it at the foot of the front passenger seat, but an esky is useful if you plan to stop along the way.

1. Invest in a salad container with a separate built-in dressing holder and prepare a healthy and filling lunch before you head off (don’t forget some cutlery).

2. Stock up on yoghurt, small packets of dry-roasted nuts, wholegrain bars or fresh bananas or other fruits at fuel stops.

3. Keep an eye out for signs on farm gates that offer you the pick of fresh produce as you pass by.

Snacks

Use your WW app to check the SmartPoints of menu items at common fast-food outlets. You can find healthier options such as breakfast cereal, chicken salads with dressing on the side, apple slices and more.

Hydration

Freeze water bottles with 50% water overnight and top up with water before you leave. Or add ice-cubes and fresh mint leaves to drink bottles.

Healthy traveling while camping

You may find your wilderness location has wider options than expected...

Facilities

Check the facilities at your campground before deciding what to pack. Do you have a powered site? Is there a communal kitchen with an oven, microwave, and fridge that you can share? Are there gas BBQs? Are open fires permitted? Is there a camp shop with essentials like milk, ice, and bread? Where is the closest town or supermarket?

Menu

You’ll need to manipulate your menu planning to take into account how to use up perishable items as the days roll by. For example, move from fresh fruit to fruit snack packs as your holiday evolves. Look into lightweight, dehydrated meal kits for longer stays with no shops nearby.

Staples

Great staples include 65g dried wholemeal pasta with a sauce made from ½ cup canned tomatoes and 80g lemon pepper tuna. Or store sealed, frozen salmon in your esky to BBQ and serve with a couscous salad.

^Six-month pre-post study on 152 participants, conducted by the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Weight Research Lab. Study funded by Weight Watchers. Sleep data and happiness data reported by trial participants after 6 months on WW Freestyle based on the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index and the Oxford Happiness Questionnaire.

Comparing the weight loss after 6 months for WW Digital members who joined in the first 8 weeks of 2018 vs. those who joined in the first 8 weeks of 2017.